First alternative app store for iPhones widely available in Europe
AltStore provides two apps that were prohibited in Apple's App Store for a long time, with more to come. Access is available exclusively with a subscription.
(Image: Mac & i)
The first alternative app marketplace for iPhones has arrived. The initial two apps available for download in the "AltStore PAL" outside of Apple's App Store are a Nintendo emulator and a clipboard manager – two app categories that have been practically banned by Apple for a long time. More apps are set to follow, as provider Riley Testut announced during the launch. Similar to a package manager, additional sources for other apps can be integrated into AltStore in the future. Testut emphasised that developers can use it to distribute their iOS software without having to pay commission to the AltStore operator.
AltStore PAL only available as a subscription
In order to install AltStore PAL, users must take out a subscription, which costs around 1.80 euros per year. With this, Testut also wants to pay Apple's "Core Technology Fee", which is charged immediately for alternative app marketplaces: Apple charges 50 cents (per year) for each download of such an app store. AltStore PAL runs from iOS 17.4.
The Nintendo emulator Delta is available for free in AltStore PAL. In response to growing pressure, Apple has recently allowed retro game emulators into the App Store for the first time. However, two early candidates have since been removed: the first was a clone of Testut's previous Nintendo emulator, while the second NES app was seemingly withdrawn by the developer due to concerns over potential legal action by Nintendo.
Simultaneously, Testut has also made Delta available in Apple's App Store, but seemingly only outside of Europe. The clipboard manager Clips relies on user funding, with payments being processed through the Patreon service – a financing model like this has been virtually non-existent for official iOS apps until now.
Sideloading tool for other iOS apps
Ultimately, AltStore PAL is a "glorified sideloading tool", writes the developer. In future, Apple will also have to support the sideloading of apps directly via a website in the EU, but the hurdles for developers are immensely high - it is much easier to distribute apps outside the App Store via AltStore.
The AltStore is a familiar name: For years, apps have been sideloaded onto iPhones via the software, but this requires a workaround using a desktop computer. This method depends on Apple's long-standing option for hobby developers to sign apps themselves and then run them on the iPhone. AltStore employs several tricks to bypass Apple's stringent restrictions on this feature.
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